Learn a Language of Nepal at the Kathmandu Research Center!

Course Dates

Classes are four weeks/one month with starting dates arranged with visiting host professors and/or students. Classes begin mid-March and run through mid-August. For individualized plans, please contact the Director.

Colloquial Nepali for Beginners

The Intensive Colloquial Nepali program is offered at Beginners level. The course is scheduled for four hours of instruction per day over a period of four weeks for a standard course of 80 hours of language instruction. Together with weekly afternoon field trips, students will finish the course with a level of proficiency typical of a standard level of proficiency. Students who successfully complete the Intensive Colloquial Nepali program should be able to read, write, and speak Nepali in everyday and formal settings with a level of proficiency typical of one academic year of classroom instruction.

The Intensive Colloquial Nepali course is designed for students with no prior knowledge of spoken Nepali. The program provides a thorough grounding in the basics of colloquial Nepali, including an introduction to Nepali grammar in small doses throughout the course. As such the course provides a strong foundation for reading different types of public signs, notices, and public documents.

The course begins with an extensive practice and overview of the language structures in Nepali after which students begin to speak in colloquial Nepali with Nepali speakers. The students will also be able to read a variety of simple texts. Students are guided through the carefully selected texts in a gradual manner so that they are able to understand their meaning while building a basic vocabulary and gaining familiarity with the practical application of the grammar.

The Course is designed to achieve different proficiency scales set by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

What Happens on a Typical Day?

The classes are held between 9 AM and 2 PM with one hour for lunch between 12 and 1 PM.

10 min. breaks between class intervals with tea/coffee provided.

The 3rd. hour (11 AM-12 PM) of the class will be dedicated to teaching Nepali (Devanagari) Script.

Lunch: 12 PM

The second leg of the class will be between 1-2 PM.

•Outings to local places in the afternoon.

A final Language Proficiency Interview (LPI) is conducted by a certified tester in Nepali at the very end of the course and a tuition certificate for the same will be given to all of the participants.

Homestay:

KRC arranges for students to stay with Nepali, Newari, Tibetan, and other local families. Our home-stay families are located in different parts of the city with access to transportation to/from KRC. Interested students are given a list of families to help plan a compatible and memorable experience. A home-stay family is responsible for giving the student a bed room with bed, morning Tea/Coffee and Nepali Breakfast (khājā), and dinner. KRC coordinators will facilitate the communication between the host and the guest and will also be responsible for the periodic payments of home-stay stipends to the family.